Unserious leader

After watching President Donald Trump’s speech at the United Nations, I am wondering about the America I grew up with. (Sept. 20, 8A, “In U.N. speech, Trump threatens to ‘totally destroy North Korea’”) Is it gone?

“Give us your tired, your poor” — Emma Lazarus’ great poem … gone.

“I have a dream” — Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech … gone.

Never miss a local story.

Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.

“We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor” — the Declaration of Independence’s great pledge … gone

We have been reduced to a Fortune 500 company. That’s the message our president gave at the U.N.

We are no longer a beacon to the world. Trump buried all that was good about our country in a speech that promoted Trump.

I can’t remember feeling so bad or so embarrassed for our country.

John Chapman

Kansas City

What can I say about President Donald Trump and his juvenile tweets? Calling Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man” reminds me of when my 5-year-old son would say “butt” and just laugh and laugh, and encourage his sister to do the same.

Who is this audience that has encouraged Trump’s behavior? This is a very serious time and needs competent leadership. Where is it?

Pamela Saltzman

Lenexa

Move it along

I propose a rules change that would relieve the tedium of some Major League Baseball games when, with two strikes, a batter fouls off multiple pitches before his at-bat is concluded in some way.

The context is that probably seven of eight fouls are balls the batter has either barely made contact with or otherwise has not hit well.

In other words, most of the time the pitcher has thrown an effective pitch to elicit a foul.

My solution, embodying a reasonable reward for to that good pitching: Once the batter has two strikes, if he then hits two additional balls foul, he is out. The game would move faster, and pitchers would be justly rewarded.

There’s one obvious side effect: Batting averages and run production would drop.

James Kelley

Prairie Village

Let it rest

In his Sept. 16 “Short take: C’mon, Bono, tell us what you really think,” Steve Kraske was disappointed that Bono and U2 did not go far enough in their performance in Kansas City because they did not publicly bash the president. (11A)

Why is it necessary for performers or football players or any non-political public figures to give us their opinion about their politics? They are performers, and it is enough for them to do what people pay them to do, whether it be play music or football.

I realize it may be popular in some circles to be anti-President Donald Trump, but he is our president and will be for the next several years. Get over it.

Carl LaSala

Leawood

Nurse safety

Earlier this year, The Star’s Andy Marso wrote about patient assaults on health care workers. (July 14, 6A, “Health workers learn to head off assaults”) I have been a registered nurse for nine years, and I am very glad to see this issue brought to light.

Marso cited a 2014 Occupational Safety and Health Administration study that called minor assaults “just part of the job.” The American Nurses Association mentions in its position statement on incivility, bullying and workplace violence that “the nursing profession will no longer tolerate violence of any kind from any source.”

Each state has legislation regarding consequences of workplace violence, but assaults by patients are still widely underreported. At least this issue has been recognized as one that severely needs attention. Nurses do not go to work to sustain physical or verbal abuse from their patients, and assaults should not be considered “just part of the job.”

Walking into an emergency room claiming an illness does not give that person the freedom to assault anyone there.

Kim Haston

Blue Springs

Police conduct

After hearing the unprofessional comments from the acting St. Louis police chief and the chants from some police officers (Sept. 19, 12A, “Protests resume after 80 arrests in St. Louis”), it appears that it may be time to revisit the 2013 decision and return greater control of the department to the state.